Self Guided FAQs

Anyone who enjoys the outdoors, is relatively healthy and happy to explore under their own steam. We really believe that across our range of tours, there is something suitable for almost anybody.

2. Where do we stay?

One of the highlights of your holiday will be the carefully chosen hotels and guesthouses in which you stay. Mostly small and family-run, they are handpicked for their comfort and individual character, not to mention the warmth of their welcome. All rooms will have private bathrooms.

3. How difficult is a BSpoke self-guided cycling holiday?

On a typical BSpoke self-guided holiday you will pedal at your own pace through the lush European countryside with time to savour all the sights, sounds and smells along the way.

Our routes are designed to take you the scenic route, sticking to quiet lanes and cycle paths where possible and snaking between points of interest, rather than just jumping between hotels.

There is no objective definition of an easy tour and a difficult tour, but we do our best to categorise them on each individual tour page. Our ratings range from ‘1 bike’, for a flat itinerary, with short daily distances and few hills, to ‘5 bikes’ for a challenging route, normally tackled on road bikes and with routes that take in some of Europe’s bigger hills and mountains.

If you are at all unsure as to the suitability of a tour, the best thing to do is call our Activities Experts who will be able to offer some valuable advice.

Using scheduled flights, we tailor your itinerary to your needs – allowing you to extend your trip before or after your cycling tour.

Onward transfer to your first accommodation is made as easy as possible. A representative (or private taxi transfer) will meet you at your arrival airport or station and you will be driven to your base hotel. For those wishing to drive, please ask us about parking options for your tour.

For travellers arriving independently, we provide information on how to find your base hotel.

Holidaymakers arriving by air from a country other than the UK will need to make their own flight reservations, however they may also be able to book our normal airport-to-hotel transfer.

5. What kind of bikes do you ride on a self-guided cycling holiday?

The bike provided will depend on the tour you book. In most cases, the bike will be a hybrid touring bicycle, with flat handlebars, a saddle designed for comfort rather than speed, mudguards and a pannier rack. These offer the perfect blend of comfort, reliability, performance and practicality for our leisure cycling tours. All bikes will be provided with locks and repair kits.

On our road cycling tours, we typically provide a good quality aluminium framed bike as standard with an option to upgrade to a carbon fibre frame at a small supplement. These bikes will normally come with a small saddle bag containing a puncture repair kit.

We also offer electric bicycles on many of our tours which are available at a small supplement. Should you choose one, you will ride up hills with ease and keep going longer and further with far less effort.

6. What happens to our luggage?

While you are cycling the route each day, a representative will take all your belongings to the next hotel – ensuring they are in your room by mid-afternoon.

Unless otherwise stated, bicycles come equipped with a rack and pannier bag, so anything you may need during the day can be easily carried.

7. How do we know which routes to take?

Two to four weeks before your holiday, we’ll send your travel documents. Please note that you will either receive your comprehensive information pack of daily maps, suggested routes, and detailed written instructions with your travel documents, or with some tours when you arrive for your welcome briefing.

You are now free to explore each day at your own pace, leaving plenty of time to absorb the atmosphere of charming villages, enjoy leisurely picnics among the cornfields, and swim in the many inviting lakes. All secure in the knowledge that a comfortable bed awaits at the end of each exhilarating day.

8. Is a self-guided tour suitable for families and children?

As all our tours vary in difficulty, this is a question best answered on a tour by tour basis. Our Activities Experts will be more than happy to help steer you towards the best tour for you and your children.

One stand-out suggestion for groups with children are our single centre holidays. These holidays remove the need to cycle between different accommodations and allow the group to do as much or as little activity as they wish.

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